More and more often, teachers are taking to the web! Blogs can be powerful tools for sharing resources and strategies, telling stories, reflecting on practice, and connecting to an extended network of educators. Some are definitely better at it than others, and many teachers have managed to position themselves as experts, moving conversations along and providing a hub for participation. So what are their secrets? Beyond having brilliant ideas to share with the world, how to they compose posts that accomplish their goals?

Elements of Blog Post: What are the basics-- the concrete things that successful blog posts have?__ Title: should communicate focus of the post, something that will attract readers (“8 Collaboration Strategies That You Can Use Tomorrow!”)__ Byline: your name (linked to your website if applicable), and date of post__ Tags: Pillar, Grade Level, Name, other info that might help with searches__ Body of Post: Snapshots, New Discoveries, Questions, Frustrations, Victories, Strategies, Lessons Learned, Resources__ Embedded Media: Include video, photos, audio, and links to help illustrate your points or link with other work happening in the field. These can either be original or links to other people's work.__ Call to Action: encourage people to respond in the comments section by posing a question or asking readers to share their experiences.